


I Need You

by DarkEyedDreamer



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Captured Hermione, F/M, Worried Draco Malfoy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-22
Updated: 2019-02-06
Packaged: 2019-10-14 09:38:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17506148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkEyedDreamer/pseuds/DarkEyedDreamer
Summary: Hermione was unable to escape Malfoy Manor, and it seems the Death Eaters have a very specific plan for her to end the war. Until then, she's left in Draco's care. But the Death Eater himself is a little wary towards his cause, and Hermione is very convincing.(A short, chaptered work to get myself in the hang of writing long fics again)





	1. Chapter 1

In the darkened dungeons of Malfoy Manor, Hermione sat on the cold stone floors. Her wrist had stopped bleeding, but not too long ago. She had not been there long, but no one had come for her yet. She thought they'd have done so immediately. That as soon as Voldemort heard of her capture she'd be paraded off like a circus monkey for all the Death Eaters to laugh at and rejoice. That he'd make her death a show, maybe do a live viewing as a message to the fighters. 

Maybe he did not see her as important. Maybe he could never see a muggle born as any form of threat against him, loyal friend of Potter or not. Maybe they'd simply leave her down here forever. She hoped so. She hoped she'd starve before they came back, that they would come down the stairs and find her corpse lying in the back of the cell. It was better that than the alternative. Better that than Voldemort.

Her only comfort was that her friends had gotten away. They'd tried to save her as well, but Bellatrix had managed to thwart the attempt. She'd seemed to have decided that they would be escaping anyway, and chose in that moment to at least not let them all get away. And then she was here. Locked away and forgotten in this pathetic little cell. Wandless and left to die.

Or maybe not. Because she could hear footsteps on the stone stairs, soft and slow. The panic rose in her stomach. They'd decided on what to do with her, it seemed. Hermione stood up, raising her head in defiance. If Bellatrix had come for her, she was going to show her that she was not afraid. Even if she were.

Instead, the door swung open to reveal a tuft of pale blonde hair. There Draco Malfoy stood, his silver eyes looking her over as if attempting to convince himself that she was really there. He almost looked disappointed she was still there. As if he'd fully been expecting her to have come up with a way to be half way across the world by now. She wished she had, but the time spent alone had done nothing in the form of escape plans.

"The good news is the Dark Lord has been generous enough to allow you to eat." Draco said, almost sounding sarcastic. Almost like he knew it was a load of bullshit. "However I've been appointed to look after you for now."

Hermione felt herself relax a small bit. Draco was never very friendly to her, but he was familiar. And he was not Bellatrix. "Why you?" She asked tentatively.

Draco's eyes darkened slightly, a disdainful look appearing on his face. "Because he said I'm granted the reward of torturing you if I see fit. He wasn't convinced my aunt wouldn't accidentally murder you."

She felt the urge to vomit at the way he said those words. At the way he looked. But the look on his face faded, and after a moment she became confused as to whether or not the look was meant for her or Bellatrix. She felt herself begin to tremble slightly, as much as she tried to fight it. Voldemort _had_ seen her for the threat she was, whether he liked to admit it or not. And he'd given her to Draco, the boy who'd made it quite clear from the beginning of his disdain for her.

In school, she'd defended him. She'd told Harry that he wasn't like that. That she wasn't like _them_ but right now, as he stood before her in his home, (the hide-out of the Death Eaters, no less) he did not quite look like the same boy she knew in school. She feared he'd crossed over fully. That he was now a real-life Death Eater who would take nothing but pleasure in showing her such.

She tried to push the possibility from her mind, but found herself gazing at his wand when she replied, "And you? Are you going to accidentally kill me?"

Draco's eyes fell to her wrist, to the mark just dug into her skin by his aunt. He shook his head quickly, and for a moment she thought she saw horror on his face at the thought. There was still Draco. The Draco she knew before. He looked like he felt something akin to remorseful. He'd not done anything to stop Bellatrix, but it was quite obvious he hadn't wanted anything like that to happen to her. Hermione knew that beforehand- though there was doubt. She knew Draco wasn't one of them. He may be a Death Eater in Voldemort's eyes, but he was not one in his own spirit. He was a frightened teenager. They all were, really.

"No. No, I'm just here to feed you." He reassured softly, raising the bowl of oatmeal he was holding a little higher like he needed proof.

She let out a breath of relief that she hadn't realized she'd been holding. She knew Draco was a good person, deep down. He may have grown up with the prejudices of his parents, but Draco was no murderer. He was no Death Eater, he was a coward at worst and afraid at best. But he'd never have wished such a fate on her as this. As being a muggleborn captive for the Death Eaters, especially after being such a thorn in their sides. He'd tried to protect her identity. He'd said he didn't recognize her even when she'd had no disguise. She knew he felt bad for her. She should feel bad for herself, but she couldn't. Hermione had made her decision. She'd chosen her side.

She only hoped Draco hadn't yet chosen his.

"Draco, I need to get out of here." Hermione said, and she knew there was fear in her voice. She hadn't meant for it to come out, but there was no stopping it. She was afraid, she was terrified.

"You know I can't help you." Draco replied, voice even. She almost would have thought he didn't care at all if it hadn't been for the sympathy in his eyes.

She bit her lip, her brain trying desperately to come up with a plan. That was her specialty. She just had to think of something. "You could unbind me. Leave a bobby pin in the cell. He'd never suspect it was you." She offered.

Draco shook his head, guilty eyes falling to the floor. "There would be no point. Malfoy Manor is like Hogwarts. No apparating on or off the grounds- the only way your friends managed it was the house elf. Even unbound, you're useless without a wand."

She felt the hopelessness begin to take over her, but she struggled to fight it off. There had to be a way. There just had to. This couldn't be the end. She couldn't be done. She had to focus. She had to come up with a plan so she could get back to Ron and Harry. They needed her. And if they needed her, she couldn't give up.

"If you find a way to get me out of here..." She said tentatively.

Terrified silver eyes snapped to meet hers. "Find a way? I'd have to walk you out the front door myself. If I help you out of here he'll kill me." Draco replied hysterically, shaking his head. 

"Draco..."

"I can't help you." He repeated loudly, the terror giving away to guilt. "I'm sorry."

She looked down at the floor, feeling a tension suddenly strike her in the stomach. Whether Draco had chosen his side was beside the point. He was too afraid to help her anyway. She couldn't blame him for that, either. She'd gone against the Dark Lord and look at where she ended up. In a small cage waiting for him to call upon her to give out whatever punishment he saw fit. And the Dark Lord was never very forgiving to disloyalty.

Draco seemed to realize he'd gotten through to her, for his shoulders were slumped as he set down the bowl. "Eat. I don't know if he wants me to keep you healthy or just above starved, so I don't know when your next meal will be."

With that, he turned to leave- locking the door behind him. Hermione stared down at the bowl without really seeing it. She had to find a way out of here.

-

She slept after eating. It was the only thing she really could do down here. It was fitful, and she woke several times due to nightmares. She did not know how long she slept, all she knew was that she was still tired when the door to her cell opened to reveal Bellatrix standing in all her glory.

At first, she thought it was another nightmare. She almost didn't register the fear growing in her body. She'd had this one before. She'd wake up soon.

Only she didn't wake up. And when Bellatrix stepped in and the door shut behind her, Hermione realized this was indeed real. She shot to her feet, taking a step back and pressing her back against the wall behind her. It was a small comfort.

Bellatrix cackled, knowing she had Hermione standing there like a trapped rat. "My little mudblood, how good to see you!" She crowed.

She narrowed her eyes, taking a deep breath. She would not allow herself to appear weak. She simply wouldn't. "Sadly, I don't agree. You've managed to make this quaint little cell quite dreary."

Another laugh. "You think you're being brave, but in here that's nothing more than stupidity." She replied, raising her wand and uttering a spell under her breath.

Hermione felt her breath leave her as she was floated off the ground. She was pulled forward before being quickly pushed back into the wall, slamming her head on the concrete. She let out a soft groan, closing her eyes as she was slammed to the floor roughly. She clenched her jaw, refusing to give up. She would not allow this woman to see her suffer. Would not allow her the satisfaction.

Bellatrix did not seem keen on giving up just yet, walking over and yanking Hermione's head up by her hair. "Now, how about we try this again? Hmm?"

"Go to hell." Hermione replied.

Her answer came in a tsking noise before she felt a hard slap on her face. "You mudbloods always lack manners when it comes to your superiors."

"Bellatrix." Came a booming voice, and it all stopped. Hermione glanced up to see Draco standing in front of the door, arms crossed in front of his chest.

Bellatrix smiled unpleasantly, her wild eyes making it look much more akin to a sneer. "Draco, fancy seeing you here."

Draco's eyes were dark. "You know he said you weren't allowed to play with her Bellatrix. He'd be so angry to know you defied him."

Bellatrix released her hold immediately, cowering back like a frightened dog. Draco had power over her like this. When it came to Voldemort, Bellatrix was submissive. And if he'd told her to do something and she disregarded...

"I was only..." She hesitated, stammering out a justification for her being down here other than defying the Dark Lord's wishes.

"Go." Draco barked, loudly. "And if I ever catch you down here again, I'll be informing him personally of you misdeeds. Your lucky I'm being so kind."

And just like that, she was gone. Hermione blinked, feeling the fear fade away. "Thank you." She whispered to Draco.

He shook his head. "It doesn't matter."

"It does matter. You don't want them to hurt me. You know this isn't right." She argued.

Draco ran a hand through his hair silently. He didn't try to disagree. Didn't try to make up an excuse as to why he wanted to keep her unharmed. Only waved his wand at her to clean up the newly-formed bruises. 

When the pain had fully disappeared, he did too.

-

There was no way of telling time in a room without windows, but she knew by the time she next saw Draco she'd slept twice and her stomach was starting to ache from hunger. She supposed that meant the Dark Lord wanted her to be somewhat between healthy and starved. Weak enough not to be able to fight back, but not close enough to death that they risk losing her. She shuddered to think about why he might want her alive.

This time, Draco brought soup and a piece of bread. She felt her mouth begin to water at the sight of it, but was too stubborn to move any closer to the blonde than she needed to. She would not show weakness to him. She would not show weakness to anyone. When Voldemort was dead, she'd weep with relief. Until then, she would stand brave. Even if she did not live to see the day.

"You're not going to talk to me this time?" Draco asked curiously as he set the food down at her feet.

"Would there be a point?" She asked softly. The guilt rose back up to the surface of his eyes as he looked to the ground away from her. "I didn't think so."

She did not remove her eyes from him. She watched him shift uncomfortably, no doubt aware she was staring. "I can't." He repeated, and she wondered who he was trying to convince.

"You know, last year Harry said you were a Death Eater. I defended you." She said. "I didn't think you had it in you. You were always a bit of a prick, but never evil."

Draco let out a soft sigh, slowly raising his eyes to meet hers. His eyes were cloudy with something she could not place. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. After a few moments of staring at each other. Instead, he pulled up his sleeve to reveal his mark. She wasn't surprised to see it, but it still made her stomach recoil in disgust. It was a symbol of his allegiance. But it was an allegiance he did not seem to willfully posses.

She shook her head. "Why?" She asked softly.

"I didn't have a choice. When my father was sent to Azkaban, I was selected to join in his place." Draco replied honestly.

"You don't have to be like your father, Draco." Hermione replied softly. "You're not like him. You want to do good."

Draco let out a sigh that almost sounded painful. "It doesn't matter what I want, Granger. I don't have a choice."

"How do you know he won't kill you anyway? Just to spite your fathers failure?" She asked, a frown forming on her face. She had to get through to him. He was her only hope of getting out of here.

Draco shook his head, although there was uncertainty in his eyes. "If I do as he says, he won't. He hasn't yet. For now, I'm safe. All I need to do is keep you alive until Potter and the weasel come back for you and..."

Hermione felt the fear clutch her stomach so badly she thought she might be sick. That was the Death Eaters plan? To use her as bait until her friends came back for her? She hoped uselessly that they wouldn't. Hoped they were far, far away right now and under the assumption that they'd already killed her. 

But she knew her friends. She knew the loyalty they had for one another. She knew if she had been the one to escape, she'd have come back. Whether she thought they were dead or not, she'd have to. Just to be sure she did everything that she could. She felt weak. Her friends would come back for her. And the Death Eaters would be waiting. Voldemort would be waiting. Unless she could escape from this, her friends were going to die and it would be her fault.

Hermione felt tears running down her face, but she wasn't sure when she started crying. She shook her head, trying to will away thoughts that she knew would not stop. "No." She cried softly, and before she knew it she was chanting the word, over and over until she was near screaming.

Draco knelt down beside her, eyes soft as he touched her shoulder. She jerked away, still shaking her head. She moved her knees to her chest, burying her face in them as she sobbed, openly, for the friends she tried so hard to protect.

"Hermione..." Draco said hesitantly.

Desperation filled her as she raised her head to look at him. He was looking back at her hesitantly, but did not look away. Hermione stared at him with pleading brown eyes. She needed him. There was no other way out of this. Draco may have been afraid, but she _needed_ him. The fate of the whole world did.

"Draco please, I need to get out of here." She squeaked. She moved her hand to grab his, clutching tightly. Not wanting him to leave like the last time. Not when she knew she was not the only life at risk.

"I already told you Hermione. I can't..."

She cut him off immediately, not wanting to hear the rest of that repetitive garbage. "Come with me, Draco. Please? If Harry kills him, you'll be a hero."

Draco hesitated. She supposed he must not have thought about that plan. Still, the fact that he didn't immediately say no had her gave her the slightest bit of hope. He must not have been entirely made up of fear.

Eventually though, he shook his head anyway. "And if the Dark Lord wins?"

She gave him a sad smile. There was always that possibility. She couldn't deny it. "I can't promise that he won't. But I can assure you, if he kills Harry- he'll win Draco."

"So?"

"So I think deep down you know you don't want that to happen."

"It's not that simple, Granger. I have myself to think about. I have my mother to think about. My father may be in Azkaban but that is paradise compared to what the Dark Lord will do to her if I help you." He replied.

"I can help her too. I can get her to a safe place. A place Voldemort doesn't even know about. Whether he wins or loses, she'll be safe." Hermione pleaded.

Draco recoiled at the name, as if he'd been struck. "Don't say his name." He snapped, yanking his hand away from hers.

Hermione wiped her tearful eyes and looked at him for a moment before leaning towards him. "I'm not afraid of him." She replied softly. "I'm fucking terrified of what happens if he wins, but I'm not afraid of him."

"You should be."

"No. Because I know he's just a wizard. Just as much as Dumbledore, or Snape, or you."

Draco shook his head, staring at her with unhidden fear. "No. No, I am not like him."

She gave him a small smile, a weak one, but the only one she could muster. "In terms of magic, we all are. In terms of spirit? You're better than him Draco."

"Don't say things like that." He replied, looking around as if he expected the Dark Lord to show up and avada kedavra them both.

"It's true. Draco you make some bad choices sometimes, but you're a good person. And right now, I need you to prove that to me." Hermione said tentatively, holding out her hand for him.

Draco stood up, shaking his head quickly. "I can't do that. I can't prove it. I can't even say it's true." He babbled, turning away from her. "I'm sorry I'm not who you think I am Hermione." He said as he walked towards the door.

"I really can keep your mother safe. If you just promise to help me." She swore. He turned to look at her, and she still remained in the same position- her hand outstretched.

He left anyway, but this time there was a few moments of silence before she heard the door lock behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

The next time Draco came for her, he had a sullen face. He did not greet her right away, didn't even look at her. His eyes were looking somewhere behind her, thoughtfully. Whatever he was thinking of, it did not seem to be good news. He took a single step inside the room, moving so smoothly that there was no sound of his shoes on the concrete. The only sound between them was the door clicking shut. Then, silence. He finally stopped his thoughts. Finally looked at her, and she felt her heart sink.

"Have they?" She asked softly, unable to force any more of her question past her lips. She didn't need to. He knew what she meant.

He shook his head, but looked no less troubled. "Not yet. We've heard intelligence that two young men are looking for a way inside Malfoy Manor. One with red hair and another with glasses." Draco said quietly. "They're close."

They were coming back for her. They were really planning on storming the castle and breaking her free with all the Death Eaters watching. She let her eyes close, feeling more tears threatening to fall. She bit her trembling lip, sending up a silent prayer that they wouldn't be so stupid. It was a useless cause, she was sure. But what else could she do? She was trapped down here, nothing more than a pawn in the Dark Lord's game.

"The war is over." Hermione said, staring at the concrete floor of her cell.

She didn't want to think about what would happen, then. Once the three of them were captured. She hoped for her friends sake that Voldemort killed them quickly. Before her capture, she'd heard rumors of the things that he did to people who disobeyed him, or even failed him. She couldn't imagine the types of things that he'd think up for the three of them. Harry would be lucky. He'd be killed immediately. The war would not be won without his death. But as for her and Ron, their deaths would likely come at a much slower rate. And as lenient on the torture as Malfoy was being, she didn't think the other Death Eaters would be so pleasant.

Draco sat down beside her, handing her the meal she didn't realize he'd been holding. It was a couple biscuits and a glass of milk. Hermione didn't know when the last time she ate had been, but she didn't feel very compelled to do so now. Maybe if she refused, she'd starve to death before her friends came for her. She didn't want to have to sit back and witness what was to come.

She glanced over at Draco, whose eyes were shut as he leaned his head against the wall. He did not much look like a Death Eater. He appeared much too comfortable around her. Any one of Voldemort's followers wouldn't dare expose their necks like that to a traitor. Maybe he was, deep down, hoping she'd kill him. She wasn't sure she had that in her. He sure as hell couldn't kill her, so why should she be able to? 

There was something she could do, though. Something she'd only have thought about in desperate times. But that was exactly what this was. If not now, when?

She took advantage of him not looking at her, she wasn't sure she'd be able to do it if he had been. But when he looked like this, so un-hostile, it was a tad bit less menacing. She moved carefully so as not to spill the glass, sitting herself on his lap before he even knew what was happening.

His eyes shot open when he felt her added pressure on his lap, looking at her with a million silent questions. She didn't answer a single one, couldn't if she tried. Instead, she opted for moving her head forward to press a kiss to the spot where his jaw met his neck. She heard Draco's breath catch. He reached out an arm to grab her chained wrists- not touching her injury, thankfully- in attempt to halt her. She didn't listen, rocking her hips forward and taking the groan that escaped his lips as encouragement.

Draco's other hand came down on her hip, his grip tight. The thought fluttered through her mind that it might bruise, as if that was something she could afford to worry about. He held onto her steady, keeping her in place. She struggled slightly, but whether it was due to her lack of health as of late or Draco himself, the blonde was a lot stronger than she anticipated. His eyes searched hers, as if attempting to figure out what was happening. This was still Draco. Still a step behind, just like when she was in school. Always trailing not far behind her in his studies. He'd been smart, although she hadn't liked admitting it. Just not quite as much as her.

She met his gaze, attempting to look as seductive as she could under the circumstances. He must not have gotten an answer from that, or at least not one he wanted.

"If this is some twisted way of trying to get my wand, Granger, you're out of luck." He replied, struggling to keep his voice even. Stern.

She shook her head quickly. "It's not."

"So it's you trying to convince me to help you through sex?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at her in question.

She shrugged her shoulders slowly. "I don't have much else to wager. But I promise I'll do whatever you want Draco, even..."

He cut her off, speaking loudly so as not to hear the rest of the sentence. "Seeing you naked is not going to make me any more keen on the idea of helping you out of here."

"I know I look like hell but..."

"You look fine! That doesn't change the fact that if I help you I can count myself a dead man." Draco replied, and she felt the fingers pressed on her hip twitch.

Hermione let out a soft breath. "Your character truly shows itself when things are hard. You've got to be brave."

"That's your bit, Granger. And the weasels. And Potters. You guys are the Gryffindors. You're the brave ones. Not me." He replied, sounding disappointed.

She frowned back at him. "But you're a Slytherin. You're cunning and resourceful and you'll do anything to get what you want. Do you _want_ Voldemort to win, Draco?" She asked.

He looked at her questioningly for a few moments before slowly shaking his head. "No." He admitted quietly. Fearfully.

"Then I need you to do this for me." She replied.

He looked at her silently for a few moments, debating. She could see the fear in his eyes, but there was something else this time. Something more determined. Something that gave her hope. She tried to look back at him with reassurance. Tried to tell him with her eyes that it was okay to be scared. They were all scared.

"Where would you take my mother if I were to help you?" Draco asked tentatively.

Her heart soared.

"I know of a place. I found it when I was travelling through time to get to my classes in our second year. It's a place between time." She explained softly. "If Harry wins, I can come back for her. If the Dark Lord wins, he'll never find her."

"You're sure about that?" He asked slowly, not seeming to want to bother with the logistics of a space between time. She hadn't been quite able to figure out how either, but she'd discovered it more than once and had to account for it when she was going backwards.

She nodded her head. "For all intents and purposes, it doesn't exist. You could stay with her, if you wanted." She offered softly.

Draco seemed to weigh his options, loosening his hold on her now that he was sure she wasn't going to do whatever she'd been doing. She slinked off of his lap, instead sitting in front of him with her legs crossed. Exposed. She needed to show him that she trusted him. She wasn't quite sure that she _did_ trust him, but trusting him was her only option right now. So as much as it made her nervous, she would do it. After all, if he did this, he was trusting her too. Trusting her to keep his family and him safe from the wrath she was about to put them through.

He let out a shuddered breath, silver eyes never looking away from her brown ones. "Alright." He agreed shakily. "Alright. I'll get you out of here. Just. Just wait for me."

 _Alright._ The word echoed in her head. He had agreed. He was going to help her. He was going to help her save her friends. A brilliant smile lit up her face as she searched his for any sign that he wasn't serious. Worried that this was too good to be true. There was nothing but unsure determination. She fought back the urge to hug him. Draco may not be a Death Eater, but he still didn't seem to quite like her, and he didn't want to ruin this already unstable moment.

"We should make a plan." Hermione offered, looking at him eagerly. 

Draco shook his head. "No offense Hermione, but you don't know this place as well as I do. I'll make a plan. I'll come back for you."

"But..."

"I'm trusting you to keep us safe once we're out. You need to trust me to get us there." He replied sharply. Reluctantly, she nodded her head.

She could do that. She could trust him. If it was her only way out of here, she'd have to. Draco could very well not have the best intentions at heart. He may have just realized it was much easier to be on Voldemorts bad side than good. But he'd said he didn't want the Dark Lord to win. He was willing to help her. That was all she needed right now. All she could ask for.

-

The door swung open later. She did not know how much later, but it didn't feel as long as any of the times before. Draco put a finger to his lips, and Hermione nodded. Draco step inside silently, flinching at the echo of the door clicking shut behind him. It was time, she knew. She stood up from where she'd been lying, holding her wrists out in front of her.

Draco scurried over, pulling a key from his pocket and undoing the cuffs. Her wrists were rubbed raw from all the moving she'd been doing since she'd be captured. She didn't mind, and Draco did not mention it in words, but did give a slight frown at the sight. There was bigger things to worry about, they both knew.

"My mother is out of the castle. We'll meet with her. I thought it'd be easier than to break us all out at once." Draco said quietly, voice barely above a whisper.

Hermione nodded her head. "She's okay with all this?" She asked, and he took the question for what it was. _She wont run off to tell the Dark Lord?_

The blonde bit his lower lip, chewing on it harshly. "She's not thrilled, but she'll go. The other option is to turn her son over to the Dark Lord as a traitor. She's not like my aunt. She follows him willfully, but is not one for blind devotion."

She had never thought about the way the Malfoys ran things in their home. With the way she'd been treated by Draco and his father, she would have assumed them incapable of love. But with Draco's need for assurance of his mothers safety and her willfullness to give up the thing she knew best to save her son, Hermione knew they must. Sometimes it was hard to see the enemy as human; and while Draco was no longer the enemy, it was still rather hard to view him in that light. After he'd done nothing but torment her through school and take a sadistic amount of pleasure in making her life miserable.

She supposed that was behind them now. Almost a different time. Now, there was much bigger things to worry about than that filthy word he'd tossed at her so easily. And when it came to the bigger things, they appeared to be mostly on the same page. So she took the rocky alliance and held it close, for it was all she had at the moment. All that was keeping her and her friends alive.

"Come with me." Draco said, walking towards the door. Hermione followed close behind, wishing now more than ever that she had her wand. With her luck, it was in Bellatrix's bedroom, hanging like a trohpy.

Freedom was quiet. Unnaturally so. No sounds of footsteps or evil cackling. No music playing, no Death Eaters rejoicing at their latest victories. Either everyone was asleep, or away. She didn't think she was lucky enough for it to be the latter, and the former made her nervous. Asleep can change at any given second.

She didn't dare make a sound. Didn't dare question where Draco was leading her. She knew very well it could be a trap. He could be leading her right to the Death Eaters, some sort of twisted torture method. Give her hope and then shatter it in front of her. It seemed more like Draco than actual torture. She tried to shake the thought, but it could not quite disappear. She'd never trusted Draco, even at the best of times. And this was not even close to the best of times. But what was the other option?

She could run.

A small frown formed on her face at the thought. It certainly was an option. Not a very good one. She didn't know the layout of this place as much as Draco did. But if Draco wasn't to be trusted, maybe blind running was a better plan. She knew nothing about what the blonde had in store for her. And he'd never had something _pleasant_ in store for her.

Out of the corner of her eye she noticed a large iron door. It looked much more important than any she'd seen before. It had to lead somewhere different than the others. Outside? It did look to be a nice elegant front door. The snatchers had brought them in through a side entrance, she hadn't seen what the front of the house had looked like. She was sure they must be close to the front by now though, if she were right about where her cell had been in reference to the rest of the house. When Draco walked past it, his back was rigid and he slowed his walk significantly. Her mind screamed in warning. That was a sign. He was leading her past it, and he was nervous. Front door? He was worried she'd dart out and his plan would have been for nothing.

He must have sensed her hesitation, for he turned around to look at her. His eyes went terribly wide when he noticed the way she was looking at the door. He opened his mouth, but seemed to think better of it and instead opted for shaking his head quickly. Frightened. Because something bad was behind it, or because he would be in vast amounts of trouble if she were to escape? She had to make a decision, but without knowing anything for sure, it did make it difficult.

When Draco stepped towards her, arm outstretched like he was going to grab her, she panicked. Took a step back much too quickly. The action made her bump into a table, sending the pile of books on top of it to the floor. The sound echoed throughout the hall like thunder compared to the otherwise silent house. She saw the blonde's eyes widen impossibly further, heard a tiny squeak of fear press past his lips. That was when it dawned on her that her second doubts had been horribly, horribly wrong.

She didn't have time to think before he'd grabbed her wrist hard, and she flinched at the way a few of his fingers curled over the still-healing cut on her arm. She did not protest as he yanked her away from the door and ran. Though dazed, she struggled to keep up. When she heard the door she had been staring at swing open, and a familiar shrill shriek, she ran even harder. 

"She's escaping!" Bellatrix screamed, and Hermione had to fight to keep from screaming herself. Screaming would do no good. Nothing would do any good. She had to keep running.

This time, she didn't try to argue with the way Draco was going. She didn't care where he was leading her as long as it was away. Away from _her._ She'd gone easy on him that first time she'd crept into her cell. That was on Voldemorts orders to be pleasant towards her. She could not imagine what would happen if she were caught now. She didn't think she could fake strength during that.

Draco turned, spitting out a spell and she heard crunching from behind her. Daring to glance back for a second, she saw the walls had crumbled behind them to block the hallway. She didn't allow herself to feel relieved. It was only a matter of time before Bellatrix broke her way through it. Draco's magic was uncomparable to the demented evil of his aunt.

She heard others, as well. Footsteps running, wands shooting at the temporary shelter he'd made for them. The terrifying howl of a werewolf, somewhere behind her. Draco's hand tightened on her wrist. He yanked her around a corner and she bit back a yelp at the way it made her shoulder ache. This was her fault, she realized. They'd heard her. Draco had been trying to warn her, and she'd thought him a Death Eater. And now she'd managed to kill them both.

Draco pulled her past a door, out into the open air. A side door. The entrance she'd been taken through when she was brought here, she realized. Draco had been planning a quiet escape. Much more well thought out than her trying the doors method. He pulled her into the forest, and only moments after they were covered in the protection of the trees she heard the screams. They were close. She didn't look back. Couldn't look back if she tried. Draco threw up a protective shield, but led her away from it. A decoy, she realized. He was thinking well under pressure. He put up at least three more that she could count, in all directions.

She noticed a bag sitting on the forest floor, and Draco grabbed it without stopping, tossing it over his shoulder. She was starting to think they'd made it, before she heard a snarl from somewhere behind her. The werewolf. Draco pressed her harshly against a large tree, pinning her there with his own body weight. She was aware he must be able to feel the way her body trembled against him, but he didn't acknowledge it. He covered her mouth with one hand, wand gripped tightly in the other. He looked around frantically, expecting at any moment a Death Eater to come from the sky and kill them both, or the werewolf to catch their scent. She could not see past his shoulders, and was almost grateful for it. She was afraid, but she was certain she'd be more afraid if she could see it coming.

"You're a fucking idiot, Granger." He spat out quietly, terror giving away to anger. "Don't say a word. Not a fucking word until I tell you."

She managed a small nod despite his hold on her mouth. He didn't remove his hand, and she realized it was because he did not trust her to listen. Not that she could blame him. She closed her eyes tightly, waited for the beast to attack. It had to know where they were. There was no way it couldn't smell them. Didn't animals like that smell fear? She tried to think back, but couldn't remember any of the books she'd read on them. Even if he couldn't smell her fear, she was sure he could hear her heart racing.

"Oh mudblood." Came a voice that was decidedly male. He was making his voice come out higher, childish. "Come on out." He crowed. "I promise not to hurt you." He added, before bursting into shrieking laughter.

She felt Draco tense, obviously recognizing the voice and therefore its owner. She struggled to keep her breathing quiet. She was panicking. She was wandless, defenseless. She could do nothing but wait for her inevitable death. 

"I can smell you. I know you're here little mudblood." He said, this time his voice coming out in a soft growl. "Draco too. Your mother will be so disappointed. It'll rip her heart out." He said before that horrible laugh came again. "Kidding. I'll do that myself."

Draco pressed himself closer to Hermione, pressing her face into his shoulder and resting his clenched jaw on the top of her head. She was almost grateful for it. It would spare her from having to see that _thing_ before it killed her.

"Are you scared?" He asked lowly. His voice sounded closer now. Much, much closer. "You should be."

She heard him step towards. He must have only been a few feet from them now. She heard the rustling of his feet on the grass. Then she heard a whoosh, a snap. Loud, pained screams. Then silence.

"Don't look behind you." Draco warned. It sounded much like an order, but after her last attempt at not listening to him, she wasn't excited to try again. She nodded.

He pulled away from her, turning his attention to his bag. She remained where she was, too afraid of moving. She didn't want to see what was behind her. Didn't want to know what sort of spell Draco had used on someone he'd probably known for years. To keep her safe. Keep him safe too, but more to keep her safe. 

He could have killed her. When Bellatrix had heard them. It would have been easier for him. He could have played it off as her trying to best him by escaping, but him making sure she didn't get away. Voldemort wouldn't have thought twice about a dead muggleborn, so long as they could pretend she was alive as bait. He may have even praised Draco for it. Kept Draco on his good side for a while longer. At least until Harry had showed up. At least until the war was lost.

"I'm sorry." She said quietly, unable to force her voice to be anything above a whisper. 

He did not look at her, pulling a folded broom from the bag. He unfolded it quickly. "Get on. The ones who aren't busy with the shields will be coming this way to see what the screaming was." He said dully.

She listened, holding onto his torso for support. She prayed none of them had the time to grab a broom. She'd made a horrible mistake in not trusting him, he'd had the full intentions of bringing her to safety. Of defying Voldemort despite his absolute terror in doing so. And she'd made a mess of things. She made things harder on him. She could make excuses for it, it was a very out-of-character thing for him to be helping her. But in the end, she should have known better. Draco Malfoy was no Death Eater. She'd been so sure of it before. So sure she could convince him to help, but then throwing him aside the moment he agreed. She felt immediate guilt when she realized what would have happened to Draco if she had gotten away without him.

Through the dense trees, no one seemed to notice them rise above the treeline. She did not see anyone else up there, and hoped once more they were all below. Far below. They flew closer to Malfoy Manor, and she realized that everyone must be in the forests now. Looking for the two of them. She could hear their cries of anger. Of fear. The Dark Lord would not be happy about this.

"What if they come for me anyway? What if they don't know?" Hermione asked, voice barely above a whimper. She'd still not managed to recover herself.

Draco shook his head, a slight grimace on his face. He shot a small fireball from his wand, and Hermione watched it. It landed on his front lawn, and for a moment her eyes widened, expecting the whole place to go up in flames. It didn't. It seemed Draco had put a bit of thought into this plan, for he'd already directed a path for the flames. Hermione watched as it burned, running two separate flames in the form of a straight line, then one veering off and turning at moments which at first did not make sense to her. It wasn't until the pair were on the other side of the house and the flames died out, that she saw it. 

Burned into the front lawn of Malfoy Manor was the symbol of the Deathly Hallows.


	3. Chapter 3

Hermione closed her eyes tightly, taking a few deep breaths to steady her nerves. She'd thrown up twice already, and quite frankly she wasn't sure there was anything left in her stomach to lose. The smell of blood still lingered in her nose, and now that the initial horror was over, her mind was replaying every moment on a loop, noticing more and more things she ignored in the moment to survive. The snapping- that snapping had been of his bones. That pained scream that sank into silence. She'd just listened to a man die. It may have been the enemy. He may have killed her less than a minute later had he lived, but it was still enough to make her sick.

Draco knew him. He knew the mans name and probably a whole lot more. She wondered if he had a family. If they were like the Malfoys- deranged enough to be on the Death Eater side but loving towards each other nonetheless. She wondered if someone would be missing him tonight. She hoped not. Tried to rationalize that he seemed much too crazy to hold down a family; but she would never really know unless she asked. She thought it best if she didn't ask. Didn't remind him of the extent he had to go through to rescue her. It must have been gruesome if he'd told her not to look. She wondered if he'd taken his own advice. Would he be able to? She tried to imagine it had been someone she knew instead. Someone who she'd been kept in close quarters with- like in Hogwarts. She decided she probably would have, just to prove to herself it had happened. She hoped Draco didn't have the same viewpoint towards it.

After a few moments, she stood up from her kneeling position, flushing the dingy toilet and staggering out to the sink. The whole bathroom was dimly lit, but she supposed that may have been for the best. She did not care to see the paleness in her cheeks or the bloodshot, tear-rimmed eyes.

She splashed some water on her face, catching a view of her reflection in the mirror and jumping slightly before she recalled the transfiguration spell Draco had placed on her. Right. She was not currently allowed to be Hermione Granger. Instead of her flowing brown curls, she had short black hair styled into a pixie cut. Her brown eyes had been replaced with a shimmering green hue. Where her features had once been soft and delicate-looking, there was now sharp angles and high cheekbones. She did not look like herself, but that was the point.

She kept her head low as she exited the bathroom. There was no reason to. No one would suspect her of being her right now. They were no longer close to Malfoy Manor, far enough away people wouldn't be thinking to look for her even if she had looked like herself. But the knowledge did not lessen the paranoia that someone would notice her. See her for who she really was. Send her back to Voldemorts awaiting hand.

She sat back down at her table across from Draco, who still hadn't seemed to forgive her for what had happened. He'd not spoken more than a few words to her in the last few hours. Nothing more than needed. She'd have mistaken it for his general dislike of her if not for the anger still lurking in his eyes. She deserved his anger, she knew. She'd almost managed to get them both killed. Hermione Granger, the girl who was supposed to have her head on her shoulders, had been extremely disappointing today.

He was eating when she sat down, eyes focused on the plate in front of him rather than at her. He did not bother to look up at her when she sat, and she hadn't really expected him to. Her stomach growled, but she ignored it. She was out of money and refused to ask more of Malfoy than she already had. Instead, she found herself watching him. He didn't much look like himself either. His white-blonde hair had been turned golden brown. His silver eyes to blue. His skinned tanned like he'd spent a long summer in the sun rather than narrowly escaped a Death Eater lair with his life.

She was snapped from her one sided staring contest when the waitress set a plate in front of her. She blinked, giving Draco a look of confusion, but he seemed content to continue pretending she didn't exist. She politely thanked the waitress, and waited until she was out of ear shot to turn her attention back to Malfoy.

"You didn't have to do that." She said softly.

Draco shrugged his shoulders. "You're no good to me starved." He replied, his tone as aloof as it had been in school. There was comfort in familiarity, even if it were annoying.

She gave him a smile, although she wasn't sure if he would be able to see it. "Thank you." She replied sincerely.

He gave a soft grunt in reply, but nothing more. She didn't expect him to. Their alliance was a brief one, strung together precariously as a teacup too close to the edge of the table. He needed safety for himself and his mother, and she owed him a favor. That was all. If he knew of any other way to get somewhere safe, he'd have left her far behind by now. He didn't trust her, and she didn't think it wise to try to convince him otherwise. She wasn't very sure she trusted herself at the moment.

Draco finished his food much faster than she did, but he did not urge her to hurry. Instead, he seemed content to remain within his own thoughts, staring at a crack in the oak wood table with glossy eyes. Hermione was tempted to ask what he was thinking about, but knew he probably wouldn't answer even if she did. It was much less awkward to spare the questioning. Anything she didn't need to know, she would not ask. They would not be around each other much longer, and he most certainly didn't seem to want to leave on friendly terms. Any chance of that seemed to disappear when she made the mistake of not trusting him when his intentions were good.

"Are we close, to your mother?" She asked quietly when she was finished. Draco had been wary of meeting her right away, in case they were being followed.

Draco glanced around the diner vaguely, as if trying to catch the eye of someone he knew and didn't currently want to see. When he saw no one, he nodded his head decisively. "Just a short walk." He confirmed.

"Lead the way." She nodded, watching him toss down some money to pay their tab before heading from the building almost mechanically. 

Most of the walk was in silence. Draco seemed to know where he was going without needing to look at the road, so he opted to keep his head lowered. Hermione wanted to ask where they were, why he knew the area so well. Anything to break the silence; she'd found herself growing to hate the silence in these last few months. But she couldn't justify asking more of him, even if it were simply a conversation. 

She let out a soft breath, deciding she did not want to hold on to guilt if she were likely to be dead before they next met. "Draco, I'm sorry."

"You've said that already." Draco replied dully, not bothering to look up at her. It would almost be infuriating, if she didn't so much deserve it.

Instead, she kept going. He wasn't going to leave now, not when he wasn't yet safe. So if he was going to accept her help, he at least had to listen to her apology. "And I mean it. Back at the manor. I panicked. I thought-"

"You thought I was going to sell you down the river." Draco finished, looking up at her with sharp eyes, and she almost thought she could see him through the disguise. His anger gave way to something more miserable after that. "You thought I was like them. You told me you didn't think I was, but you lied." He added, looking back down.

Hermione felt the guilt wash over her for what felt like the hundredth time. "I didn't lie, Draco. I don't think you're like them, I just panicked. I doubted my own judgement. But you proved those doubts wrong. I should have trusted you."

A hysterical laugh she suspected he didn't intend pushed past his lips. "Why would you have?" He asked, yanking up his sleeve to reveal his mark. His strongest spell couldn't cover it. It would be there for the rest of his life, long after the war was over and a winner was chosen. "I _am_ one of them. As much as neither of us want it to be true, it is."

"You're not like them, Draco you saved me." Hermione insisted. "I should have trusted you, and I'm sorry. It's just really hard to trust these days..."

Draco stopped in front of a house without needing to look at it. "I've done some really bad things since we went to school together, Granger. I wouldn't trust me either."

He pushed the front door open, and she followed. She thought that meant their conversation was probably over, although it only left her with more questions and no less guilt. She found herself wondering if she'd have trusted someone else in that situation. If it had been Viktor would she have had the same doubt? He was trained in the Dark Arts more than anyone at Hogwarts could have dreamed. He was a more likely Death Eater than Draco. Would her brain still have flared up with warning bells? Or was he rightin saying she'd panicked because of _him_ specifically.

Sometimes, life doesn't have the answers you want. Hermione was discovering that more and more everyday.

The house was old, but grand. Tall ceilings and a chandelier poised at the end of a large hallway. Walls a soft grey with pictures of people she did not recodnize, all smiling. All happy. None of them were of Draco or his parents, but that made sense. Hiding at a house you own while Death Eaters search for you is a death sentence. Still, it was unsettling not knowing who's house this was. Who else might be here. She still didn't have a wand. Draco must not have been able to find her one at the Manor. She wondered what she was to do when she and Draco parted. Without a wand she wasn't much use- how would she ever find Harry and Ron without one? Hell... how was she going to find them with a wand?

With how quickly the story of their escape had spread, she knew that Ron and Harry must have heard of it. No doubt they'd managed to put some distance between themselves and that house- which was good in terms of Death Eaters, but left her just as lost as they were. She realized, much too late for any sort of help, they should have come up with a meeting place, a code, something to connect them if they were to part. Hermione knew deep down that the reason they hadn't was because none of them had expected anyone to escape captivity alive.

But she had. And as soon as she brought Draco and his mom to the safe haven, she'd have to find her friends. Somehow.

"Mum?" Draco called into the empty hallway as he turned into what she supposed must be the living room.

She peered in cautiously, not stepping a foot past the threshold. Sitting in a chair in the corner was Draco's mother, looking at her son with obvious relief. She stood up, pulling him into a tight hug which he seemed to melt into. Such a soft, loving embrace made Hermione miss her parents; who were probably off somewhere enjoying each others company. So blissfully unaware of the struggle their daughter was in. Unaware they even had a daughter in the first place. She knew it was for the best. She knew it was her own decision. But damn if it didn't hurt.

"Draco take off that disguise so I can see you." Her mother scolded softly when she pulled away, and with a wave of his wand and a simple spell he complied. She smiled at him, at her son. Alive and well. Mostly.

She glanced up to cast a glare at Hermione, who flinched back just slightly. Before the war, she'd have returned the look with no hesitation; but at the moment she couldn't find the strength. 

"Do you have the the extra wand handy?" Draco asked, and his mother returned her attention to him.

"Ah, yes. That." She muttered, walking over to the mantle and pulling a wand from a wooden box atop it. She handed it to him, casting another hateful glance towards Hermione. "For the mudblood."

Draco did not correct her, not that Hermione expected him to. When he handed her the wand, she straightened her back- raising her head in a simple act of defiance. _Pick your battles,_ she reminded herself. Right now, she was already at war. She could not afford to pick up this battle as well. When the war was over, she'd lecture this woman into the next century. Prove herself on every level of skill that she was just as good as any other wizard or witch. Better, even. But not tonight. Tonight, she would say nothing. She'd accept the wand and fufil her end of the bargain. Then, she'd find her friends and finish this war, one way or another.

"We need to be touching for this to work." She said simply, holding out her hand. 

She ignored the look of digust on the womans face when Draco took her hand- avoiding staring at her wrist. She took Draco's hand, and like that it was over. The house gave way to a field of flowers which Hermione was starting to think were forever in bloom. Why wouldn't they be? This whole area seemed trapped between time, so time must not really exist here. At least, not the same way.

"There's a cottage down this walkway. You can stay there until the wars over." She said to the pair. She noticed the way Draco seemed to hesitate when letting go of her hand.

She led the way, continuing on with their one-sided conversation. "The food doesn't seem to ever dwindle. It's like this place really is trapped in this one moment of time. Any time a situation disrupts it, it just goes back to how it was. If you were to bake a cake, the ingrediants for the cake would be back on the shelves the next time you looked."

"At least we won't starve while we wait for The Dark Lord to come kill us." Draco's mother said spitefully. 

Hermione almost pretended not to hear her, but instead decided this may be a battle she'd prefer to pick. "Voldemort, actually. And he won't ever find it because it's not in any record. If I hadn't stumbled upon it then it'd still be lost to history."

"And how _exactly_ did you 'stumble upon' it? Time travel isn't permitted for Hogwarts students." She replied, spitting out the words with venom.

Hermione's ears burned. "I was actually given permission by Professor Dumbledore to get to my extra classes." She said sharply, turning to look behind her.

Draco walked a few steps behind his mother, looking down at his shoes with something akin to guilt- or maybe embarrassment. Meanwhile his mother was staring her down with eyes much too sharp. Anger seemed to be vibrating off of her. In her eyes, she'd costed the Malfoy's a chance to be Voldemort's right hand family. Hermione wanted to scream. Wanted to tell her that her golden boy son was the one to admit he didn't want Voldemort to win this war. That he didn't blindly follow his parents lives. 

But she didn't. She'd caused Draco enough trouble. This one, she could accept.

After she turned back around, she heard the woman snort softly. "That old crack-pot."

Hermione tightened her grip on her wand, spinning on her heels. She opened her mouth, ready to scream. Ready to fight. Because she may not be able to pick every battle, but if she were to let some half-witted narcisstic woman disgrace Dumbledore like that then she was picking the wrong battles. But before she could get a word out, Draco's voice pierced the air.

"He was a good man, mom."

The silence that followed was tense. No one moved. Everyone just let the words sink in. Hermione felt the fight in her exit, all at once. The anger dissipated as she looked at Draco, whose head had not yet raised. His hands were tightened into fists at his sides, and she almost would have thought he'd found the dirt interesting with the intensity of which he was staring. His mother opened her mouth to speak, but he seemed tired of letting her.

"He was a good man, and he's dead because of me." He said, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

Narcissa's face changed in that moment. The concern for her son set in, and she placed a hand on his upper back. "You made the Dark Lord proud, Draco." She said gently.

He looked up at her, eyes showing more sorrow that Hermione had ever seen him express. "I didn't want to make him proud. I didn't want any of this." He admitted softly.

When the realization hit her, Draco's mother nodded. "Then it's over now. We're safe." She said gently.

Draco looked tempted to say something, but he didn't. Instead, he nodded his head slowly. Hermione took that to mean it was time to continue, so she led them the rest of the way to the cottage. It was a small one, much smaller than Malfoy Manor, but it'd do for them now. Narcissa did not thank her, did not hesitate before heading towards the front door.

Draco hesitated. "How are you going to find the idiots?" He asked curiously.

Hermione let out a sigh, running her hand through her hair. "I don't quite know. But I will." She said with a lot less confidence than she intended.

"Draco." His mother called, turning around to look at him with a small frown on her face. "Come, we must hurry on." She said, as if they'd somewhere to be. Anywhere but near her, she supposed.

The blonde held up his hand to silence her, still looking at Hermione. "I think I might know someone who can help you." He said softly.

She perked up, looking at him with interest. "Who? Where can I find him?" She asked quickly.

A soft sigh pushed past Draco's lips, looking up at his mother solemnly before looking back at her. "I can take you to him. But this time, you have to trust me Granger."

"Draco!" Narcissa called again, arms crossed. 

Draco raised his eyebrow. "Do we have a deal?" He asked.

Hermione nodded her head quickly. "I trust you." She said, much more sure of herself this time around. Draco may not be a friend, but he was definitely on the same team as she was. In times of war, that was close enough.

"Draco?" His mother called again, this time sounding much more unsure. More uneasy. Hermione suspected she understood.

Draco came to her this time, and Nacissa's relieved smile only lasted a moment. When he pulled her into a hug, she broke down in tears. She knew what was happening. She knew her son would not be staying. Hermione watched Draco say something softly to her, and could not hear the reply. They spoke quietly for a few moment before he hugged her again. 

He left her, tears streaming down her face. He did not look back, and she supposed just like with her and the werewolf, it was because he was worried of what he'd see.

"Come on, we need to hurry." He said, not quite able to hold back the sadness in his eyes. He was giving up his safety for her, yet again. 

Hermione didn't know what she did to deserve it.


	4. Chapter 4

Hermione felt a frown tug at her cheeks. She had been doing quite well in not questioning Draco. She trusted his intentions, after all he'd risked his life for her twice now. But Hermione Granger had always been a curious girl. She was the girl who devoured books like she was starving, admiring knowledge like a feast fit for kings. A prize just at the tips of her fingertips. She couldn't help it. Not knowing something was simply not an option for her. And all this not knowing with Draco was simply driving her crazy.

"What are we doing here?" She finally asked. The blonde peered over at her from where he walked a step ahead. He hadn't seemed to entirely trust her, but at least he was no longer angry. Or didn't seem to be, anyway.

He took a few moments of hesitation before replying. "Pansy's mother was a traitor to the Dark Lord." He revealed quietly, as if the secret were not supposed to leave his lips.

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Pansy? But she's so..."

Draco cut her off. "She's a coward. She doesn't have the ability to choose a side. She just bet on the team that seemed the most powerful." He shook his head. "But her mum. She cared about who won. And she didn't want it to be _him._ So she contacted the resistance."

"The resistance?" Hermione echoed in surprise.

"Oh come on." Draco replied in disbelief. "You can't think you and your band of idiots are the only ones fighting against the Dark Lord. A bunch of teenagers?" 

Hermione lowered her head in embarrassment. "I guess I didn't have much time to think about it." She replied hesitantly.

"Well there are others. People with the guts to stand up to someone like V- the Dark Lord. They've been a pain in Death Eater's asses, and keep a pretty watchful eye over the Chosen One." Draco informed her.

"They've been watching us?" She exclaimed, eyes widening in surprise. She thought they'd been being careful. 

Draco nodded his head. "A lot better than the Death Eaters could even dream. Pansy's mom, before-" He paused, a soft sigh escaping him. "She told me about this guy. She said she wanted someone else to know of him."

"And she chose you?" Hermione asked reproachfully.

Draco bit back a snort. "I guess you weren't the only one who didn't think of me as a Death Eater." He responded simply.

He paused in front of a line of houses, all dark. It was nearly three in the morning last time Hermione had checked, she presumed they'd all be asleep at this hour. Draco hesitated for a moment before raising his wand. A spell fell from his lips that Hermione couldn't recognize, but it caused a blue orb to alight on one of the houses front porch. It disappeared quickly, quick enough that anyone in another house wouldn't have time to figure out where it'd been coming from. That was good, she realized. Smart.

Draco walked over to the house, and the door was opened by the time the two reached the front door. Before them was a man, dressed in a wool coat despite not looking like he was getting ready to leave. His hair was unkempt and wild, but his eyes were soft green. He looked over the two of them suspiciously. Draco held up a Deathly Hallow necklace which he'd retrieved from his pocket. Pansy's mother must have given him that too, Hermione realized. She must not have needed it any longer...

The door swung open for them then, and the two scurried inside. He shut the door behind them, flicking the lock shut. "You two are part of the resistance?" He asked, although it was more like a statement.

Draco nodded his head yes. "I'm a friend of Eliza Parkinson." He clarified, and the man nodded his head back in understanding.

"Haven't seen her in quite some time." He replied in the type of way that Hermione knew meant something horrible must have happened to her. 

"I haven't either." Draco admitted in the same type of voice. There was a tiredness in his eyes when he said that.

The man tsked as he led them to a room off of the narrow hall. "So many young resistance members. Sending children to do adults work." He said to no one in particular.

"I certainly don't feel much like a child." Hermione replied anyway.

The man paused to look at her, but didn't seem to quite recognize her yet. "What a shame that is." He said apologetically. "Sit down, let me fix you two some tea and we can talk about what it is you need."

Hermione didn't object to that. Admittedly, she was quite cold and tea sounded lovely right now. "It's a bit of an emergency." She commented.

A soft, humorless laugh came from the man. "Isn't everything these days?" He asked as he disappeared into another room. She could not argue with that.

When he came back, it was with a tray of biscuits and three cups of tea. He set it down at the table, letting each of them take a drink before asking. "So what is it you need?" He asked, glancing at the clock. It was two minutes 'til four on the dot.

"My name is Draco Malfoy. This is Hermione Granger. I'm sure you already know that she's a close friend of the Chosen One. They've been separated and we need to find him." Draco informed him.

There was a moments hesitation before, "You can't be here." The man said, eyes horrifically wide. "Not you."

"Please we need to find Harry and Ron. You're the only person we can think to help us." Hermione pleaded.

The man shook his head, dropping his tea cup to the floor. It shattered by his feet. He did not seem to mind. "Get out." He said sternly, waving his hands in a 'shooing' motion.

Draco did not move. "We just need a little information and-"

"Get out!" He yelled, loudly this time. When the pair still had yet to move, he marched forward. "Get out! Get out! GET OUT!" He hollered.

With each step, something changed. The air behind him grew darker, until there was nothing but black smoke engulfing the entire room. His body began to grow, his eyes widening to impossible levels. His shouts turned into screams of pain as his skin morphed and twisted at painful angles. His arms grew longer and spindly, turning into a dark black color. He reached one out towards her and she screamed, only to have Draco pull her backwards into his arms.

Draco turned with her, grabbing her hand and yanking her away from the horrible creature. He pulled her into the hallway, but as they rounded towards the front door Hermione felt her heart sink. The front door was missing entirely, leaving nothing but a blank wall where it'd been. She heard Draco swear under his breath, and she stumbled when he pulled her towards the stairs leading upwards.

"There won't be any way out from there." Hermione tried to reason even as she followed him.

"Granger there's no way out _anywhere."_ Draco revealed loudly, and she could hear the terror in his voice.

He pulled her into the first door at the top of the stairs, pushing her sharply so she fell towards the back of the room. She backed herself into a corner, staring at the door with baited breath. Draco pulled out his wand, _"Colloportus."_ He exclaimed, locking the door. He added another charm Hermione supposed was to keep it sturdy. No sooner had the words finished leaving his mouth than the door gave a sharp thud from the weight of a body slamming into it. She watched the doorknob jingle furiously for a few moments before the sharp thud came again.

Draco backed up a few steps, wand still in hand. After what felt like an eternity, the thuds stopped. Hermione thought the silence was far more terrifying.

"Are we going to die here?" She found herself asking out loud. Draco turned to look at her, shaking his head unconvincingly.

He walked over to the only window in the room and attempted to open it. When it didn't immediately work he added in an _'alohamora'_ for good measure. It was no good. Almost as if the whole window was simply a sticker. Easy to see out of, but flat to the touch. There was no opening it. No leaving through it. She knew without needing to try it that they wouldn't be allowed to apparate out, either. He'd shut the place down. Made it nothing more than a rat trap for the two of them.

"No. We just need to stay in here for a while." He replied. "Maybe a couple hours. We'll be fine as long as we watch that door."

"What happens in a couple hours?" She asked.

Draco winced slightly, walking over to her and sitting on the floor. "It's a curse. The Dark Lord created it or found it- something. All I know is that it turns people into that- _thing._ Makes it hungry for people. It takes a lot of strength to be in that form though. If he doesn't eat soon, the exertion will kill him."

Hermione frowned, sitting down beside him and curling her knees up to her chest. "How do you know for sure?" She asked, keeping her eyes on the door.

"I've seen it." He replied simply, and Hermione turned her glance towards him. Draco was already looking at her, and she saw the pain in his eyes. The fear. 

"Who was it?"

"Pansy's mother. When the Dark Lord found out about her treason he decided to make an example out of her. We all had to watch." Draco replied tensely. "He scared her into thinking he'd feed Pansy to her, but I guess he changed his mind once she was no longer conscious."

It wasn't much of a wonder why he was terrified to help her, Hermione realized. In fact, she was more surprised he agreed at all with something like that in his mind. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

Draco let out a shaky breath. "I've seen so many things, Hermione. When this war is over, I'm going to have to rebuild every room in my house."

She tilted her head hesitantly, resting it on his shoulder. He tensed up, but relaxed after only a moment. The light touch was nice. Comforting, almost. "I'll help you." She promised quietly.

His eyes trailed down to her arm. She didn't have to look at him to know it. She could feel the way his head turned to see it. "Starting with the fucking parlor."

She hummed her agreement. She thought it might be therapeutic to destroy everything inside that room and rebuild it. Make something beautiful. She only hoped she'd get the chance to. The odds had never been in their favor, and if she couldn't find Harry and Ron then she wasn't sure how they were going to manage on their own. She hoped they'd do well, but it was hard telling with them sometimes. They were too brave for their own good, treading the line of reckless. Reckless was not something they could afford to be right now.

There was a creaking noise below them and Hermione felt Draco tense. She felt guilty for getting him into this situation. She seemed to be very good at making messes of Draco's life. Despite how much he'd been willing to do for the cause, it was still quite obvious he'd have felt better staying with his mother. Hermione couldn't blame him, she'd thought of escaping there a few times herself. Slytherin's were known for trying to save their own skin before anyone else's. The fact that Draco was going against all of his better judgement to try to make up for the guilt he felt over the war- over Dumbledore- was admirable. She'd been right when she said he was a good person.

"We're all scared, you know." She said softly.

"What?"

"You said that being brave was a Gryffindor thing, not yours. But we're all scared out of our minds too. We just have to do things despite being scared." She replied. "Like you do."

There was a few moments of silence before he let out a soft breath. "Thank you." He replied, sounding relieved.

"What do you think it's doing down there?" Hermione asked, trying not to remember that thing was a person. That he was either going to kill them, or die trying.

"Probably searching for other things to eat. When it realizes we're the only ones here, it'll be back." Draco replied regrettably.

Hermione nodded her head. She was afraid of that. "And what are we going to do if it breaks down the door..?"

Draco let his head fall backwards, hitting the wall with a soft thud. "Just cover your eyes, and let me deal with it."

Kill it. He meant kill it. Like he did with the werewolf. To protect her. Always to protect her. "Draco..." Hermione said quietly. "You don't have to do it."

He turned his head to look at her, and she raised her head off his shoulder to look at him. "Have you ever actually killed someone, Granger? Even by association?"

She tried to think back even though she already knew the answer. "No." She admitted softly, biting her lower lip.

"Well I'm not going to make you." Draco replied dully. "So just cover your eyes, and wait for me to tell you it's over."

Over didn't come for another half hour. The creature had pounded on the floor a few times, each one eliciting a jump from at least one of the pair. After a while of what Hermione thought could only be toying with them, they heard creaking on the stairs. Draco tensed up, but his eyes remained pointedly at the door. Hermione took a deep breath as she heard the loud banging which accompanied the thing throwing its body weight into it once more. They both watched the door anxiously. Waiting to see if it would give. Draco's magic seemed to be strong, but there was no telling how powerful this monster would be.

They were answered by a loud shrieking noise and the monster slamming itself into the door again. The door creaked in protest, but she watched the way it tilted inwards ever so slightly. It wasn't going to hold, she realized numbly.

Another loud thud came. More creaking. She could hear the hinges giving away. "Close your eyes." Draco warned. Hermione looked at him instead, hand holding her wand tightly, which was still pointed at the door.

One final blow was all it took for the door to give and the monster to descend upon them. "Hermione _Close your eyes."_ Draco ordered, and she gave in that time, as soon as they were shut she heard Draco yell. _"Confringo!"_

She screamed. She didn't mean to. But the way the monster- the man- hissed in pain was just too much. She dropped her wand, covering her ears with both hands instead. Her face felt hot from the flames, and she was left to wonder how close the thing had gotten to them by the time. She could smell the monsters flesh roasting. It was the type of putrid smell that stung the inside of her nose. 

The last time this happened, it'd been so fast. She blocked it all out until the danger was passed. Now, it seemed to stretch on forever. Sometime later- maybe seconds, maybe hours- Draco put his hands over her eyes. She uncovered her ears to be able to hear him, but made no motion to uncover her face.

"Please don't open your eyes." Draco said softly. The absolute misery in his tone made her not need to be told twice. She let Draco take her hand, let him lead her past the charred corpse which had been in front of her.

She imagined they were close to the stairs, but he didn't seem to want to risk her turning her gaze towards the beast because without hesitating he scooped her into his arms. She let out an embarrassing noise of surprise, hiding her face in his neck in attempt to disguise the smell of burning skin that wouldn't fade from her nostrils. She took a few deep breaths in, trying to rid it in favor of his scent. Draco smelled like lilacs and something sugary. She wouldn't have expected that, but it was so pleasant that by the time he set her down the smell of burning was mostly gone. 

She opened her eyes then, staring into his silver ones. They looked cold, like he was trying to put the whole thing out of his memory. He'd watched it all, she realized. Whether to make sure he was dead or that the creature didn't die alone, he'd watched it. And he looked absolutely crushed. She didn't know what else to do, so she leaned forward and hugged him tightly. He surprised her by hugging her back. She supposed that must have made them something like friends now. There wasn't quite another term for saving someone's life and allowing them to comfort you even though you hated them less than a week ago. So she supposed friends was fitting.

"Do you think there was something else I should have done?" He asked into her hair.

She didn't know for sure. She wasn't familiar enough with the curse to know what effectively he could have done without killing the beast- the man. But she knew what he needed to hear. "No. I think you did what you had to."

Draco nodded his head, not letting her go for several more seconds. She didn't mind. Comfort was something she seldom got these last few months. When he finally pulled away, she tried to give him a look which showed how much she appreciated what he'd done for her. For even Hermione Granger didn't quite know the correct words for it.

She settled on, "thank you."

The blonde gave her a hollow smile, nodding his head. "I wouldn't make you do something like that." 

Trying to find herself and give them both a change of subject, she asked. "Do you think anything here will help us find Harry and Ron?"

Draco frowned thoughtfully, although his eyes shone with relief at the new topic. "Maybe. Lets look around."

They didn't have to look hard. In the kitchen, there it was. Written in blood across the wall in shaking, near-unintelligible handwriting was, _'Cloverfield 219. HR'_ Hermione could only hope that the monster had used his own blood. Well... she could also hope Draco didn't realize what she did. That writing this message meant the monster must have been at least somewhat coherent. That it may have been trying to kill them, but it definitely knew what was happening while he did it. She glanced over at him, but she couldn't read his face well enough to tell.

"Do you think we can trust it?" She asked.

"I don't think we have much choice." Draco replied.


End file.
